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fangirlfaction's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The synopsis for this book piqued my interest because the premise sounded so intriguing. A cursed king that fades into shadows at night? A bonafide shadow daddy? Cursed noble families? A religion devoted to an angry goddess, or so it seems? Yes, please! Sign me right up. It's like this author gathered up a bunch of my favorite tropes and molded them into a story that is my ultimate kryptonite.
I found myself entranced from the very first chapter. I didn't expect it to but the author's writing style really resonated with me. It was very engaging and flowed beautifully. The plot of the book packed a big punch. I was totally invested in the story from start to finish. I just couldn't get enough. There were tons of shocking plot twists that carried a lot of weight in the story. The world-building wasn't extravagant but painted a nice picture for the reader of this world.
I formed an attachment to these characters straight away. All of the characters were distinct with unique personalities and backgrounds. I love that while Cerise grew up very sheltered in a religious temple she still wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She seemed very ignorant of certain things but that didn't mean that she was timid. Kian was rather mysterious at first. After warming up to Cerise he was quite a sweetheart. You could feel his pain about his circumstances. It affected him even though he tried to hide it. Daerick was a surprising character that captured my heart. He was a glass-half-full kind of person who was an absolute joy. He also had some pain about his curse but he was proactive and positive that they could reverse it. Nero was another side character who was absolutely charming. Cerise and her close companions have the makings of the perfect squad goals. The villain of the story was definitely worthy of the title.
The romance felt a bit rushed to me but I can't deny that the chemistry between Cerise and Kian was undeniable. It was a tangible thing that felt organic and genuine. I truly loved the banter between them in the beginning.
Overall, this was a transfixing romantasy that you won't be able to get out of your head. The plot twists were thrilling, the characters were enchanting, and the romance was forbidden and tantalizing. After that ending, I am so stoked to read the second book in this series!
<a href="http://fangirlfaction.blogspot.com/">BLOG</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fangirlfaction/">FACEBOOK</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fangirlfaction/">INSTAGRAM</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/fangirlfaction">GOODREADS</a> <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/fangirlfaction">STORYGRAPH</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@fangirlfaction">TIKTOK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Fangirl_Faction">TWITTER</a> <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/2925113403">BOOKBUB</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFS7KNMFWFV227AUADY6737RCVUA?ref_=ya_d_l_profile">AMAZON</a> <a href="https://booksirens.com/reviewer/5QJ4TZG">BOOKSIRENS</a> <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/thefangirlfaction/">PINTEREST</a> <a href="https://ko-fi.com/fangirlfaction">KO-FI</a>
I found myself entranced from the very first chapter. I didn't expect it to but the author's writing style really resonated with me. It was very engaging and flowed beautifully. The plot of the book packed a big punch. I was totally invested in the story from start to finish. I just couldn't get enough. There were tons of shocking plot twists that carried a lot of weight in the story. The world-building wasn't extravagant but painted a nice picture for the reader of this world.
I formed an attachment to these characters straight away. All of the characters were distinct with unique personalities and backgrounds. I love that while Cerise grew up very sheltered in a religious temple she still wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She seemed very ignorant of certain things but that didn't mean that she was timid. Kian was rather mysterious at first. After warming up to Cerise he was quite a sweetheart. You could feel his pain about his circumstances. It affected him even though he tried to hide it. Daerick was a surprising character that captured my heart. He was a glass-half-full kind of person who was an absolute joy. He also had some pain about his curse but he was proactive and positive that they could reverse it. Nero was another side character who was absolutely charming. Cerise and her close companions have the makings of the perfect squad goals. The villain of the story was definitely worthy of the title.
The romance felt a bit rushed to me but I can't deny that the chemistry between Cerise and Kian was undeniable. It was a tangible thing that felt organic and genuine. I truly loved the banter between them in the beginning.
Overall, this was a transfixing romantasy that you won't be able to get out of your head. The plot twists were thrilling, the characters were enchanting, and the romance was forbidden and tantalizing. After that ending, I am so stoked to read the second book in this series!
<a href="http://fangirlfaction.blogspot.com/">BLOG</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fangirlfaction/">FACEBOOK</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fangirlfaction/">INSTAGRAM</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/fangirlfaction">GOODREADS</a> <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/fangirlfaction">STORYGRAPH</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@fangirlfaction">TIKTOK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Fangirl_Faction">TWITTER</a> <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/2925113403">BOOKBUB</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFS7KNMFWFV227AUADY6737RCVUA?ref_=ya_d_l_profile">AMAZON</a> <a href="https://booksirens.com/reviewer/5QJ4TZG">BOOKSIRENS</a> <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/thefangirlfaction/">PINTEREST</a> <a href="https://ko-fi.com/fangirlfaction">KO-FI</a>
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Misogyny, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, and Blood
essiekay's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Gaslighting
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Suicide, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Outing
vixairy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child death, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Self harm, Suicide, and Alcohol
kayceeisbookish's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
This book was just...meh. The characters felt flat. Dialogue was blah. The plot drug on FOREVER! I was dragging myself through this book because the story has so many weird plot holes that were never addressed. The MC is an adult but acts like a teen. Just...not a vibe for me overall.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol